The present invention relates to an image input apparatus, image input system, light source control method, and storage medium and, more particularly, to an image input apparatus, image input system, light source control method, and storage medium suitably applicable to a scanner apparatus or copying machine having a read position aligning function.
Recently, with the explosive spread of personal computers, demand for peripheral devices is also abruptly increasing. In particular, image input apparatuses, so-called scanners, for inputting images from originals are used more widely than expected. Accordingly, in addition to conventional design requirements such as high image quality and high resolution, the maturation of products from the viewpoint of the ease of use, such as the ease of use in general homes, is newly demanded. That is, consideration for beginners, e.g., the ability to input images easier and faster, is of much concern in the market.
Also, in the recent electrical appliance industry, low power consumption is the keyword, and standards and the like meeting this demand are extensively proposed. By achieving items determined by these standards, all manufacturers reflect this demand to their products in order to obtain indices accepted by general customers. As scanner standards, ENERGY STAR (specifications for promoting power saving in standby state, announced by US Environmental Protection Agency) is available as an index for energy saving of electronic appliances. This ENERGY STAR has the reference that the consumption power in standby state should be decreased to 12 W or less. To meet this reference, processing by which, when an original illuminating light source which consumes large power is not used for a long time, a standby mode starts and the lamp is automatically turned off, is installed into a scanner.
Unfortunately, the following problems arise when the above-mentioned processing function by which a standby mode starts and the lamp is automatically turned off if the original illuminating light source is not used for a long time is imparted to a scanner. That is, the temperature characteristic of the lamp used in a scanner has a large effect on the light amount; after the lamp is turned on, a certain time is necessary before a light amount stable enough to start scanning is reached. In currently available scanners, the lamp is turned on at the beginning of scan, and actual image reading is started after the light amount (temperature) of the lamp becomes stable.
Accordingly, a very long time is necessary before reading is actually started after a user has instructed the scanner to start scanning. This gives the user a long waiting time. In addition, this long waiting time sometimes gives the user the anxiety as to whether the scanner itself is normally operating. Also, since the present situation is that the cost is going down steadily, these scanner lamps are gradually replaced with inexpensive ones having inferior temperature characteristics. This tendency is nothing but the cause of worsening the ease of use from the user""s viewpoint for the reasons mentioned earlier, and hence obviously poses a serious problem in the future. Furthermore, in the long waiting time before reading starts, the user is likely to cause operation errors or misunderstand that some inconvenience has occurred.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situation, and has as its first object to provide an image input apparatus, image input system, light source control method, and storage medium capable of providing in the market an image input apparatus which greatly reduces the time before actual reading starts and which can be easily used in a manner based upon the energy saving standard.
It is the second object of the present invention to provide an image input apparatus, image input system, light source control method, and storage medium which, while a light amount is unstable, can inhibit the display of an input screen of an image reading application program and can display information indicating that the light amount is currently being adjusted, thereby preventing operation errors and avoiding misunderstanding of an operator.
To achieve the above objects, an image input apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by the following arrangement.
That is an image input apparatus controllable from an external apparatus comprises a light source for irradiating an original, reading means for reading the original irradiated by said light source, and control means for turning on said light source when image input apparatus operating means of said external apparatus is enabled.
Also, an image input system according to the present invention is characterized by the following arrangement.
That is, an image input system comprising an external apparatus and an image input apparatus controllable from said external apparatus, wherein said image input apparatus comprises a light source for irradiating an original, reading means for reading the original irradiated by said light source, and control means for turning on said light source when image input apparatus operating means of said external apparatus is enabled.
According to its first aspect, a light source control method according to the present invention is characterized by the following steps.
That is, a light source control method applied to an image input system comprising an image input apparatus which comprises a light source for irradiating an original, and reading means for reading the original irradiated by said light source, and an external apparatus which comprises image input apparatus operating means, wherein said light source is turned on when said operating means of said external apparatus is enabled.
According to its second aspect, the light source control method according to the present invention is characterized by the following steps.
That is, a light source control method applied to an image input system comprising an image input apparatus which comprises a plurality of light sources for irradiating an original, and reading means for reading the original irradiated by said light sources, and an external apparatus which comprises image input apparatus operating means, and light source selecting means included in said operating means to select a light source to be used in reading from said plurality of light sources, characterized by comprising the steps of turning on all said light sources when said operating means is enabled; turning off a light source except for a light source selected by said light source selecting means when said operating means of said external apparatus generates read designation while said light sources are ON; and turning on a light source selected by said light source selecting means when said operating means of said external apparatus generates read designation while said light sources are OFF.
According to its first aspect, a storage medium according to the present invention is characterized by the following arrangement.
That is, a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing a light source control method applied to an image input system comprising an image input apparatus which comprises a light source for irradiating an original, and reading means for reading the original irradiated by said light source, and an external apparatus which comprises image input apparatus operating means, wherein said light source control method turns on said light source when said operating means of said external apparatus is enabled.
According to its second aspect, the storage medium according to the present invention is characterized by the following arrangement.
That is, a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing a light source control method applied to an image input system comprising an image input apparatus which comprises a plurality of light sources for irradiating an original, and reading means for reading the original irradiated by said light sources, and an external apparatus which comprises image input apparatus operating means, and light source selecting means included in said operating means to select a light source to be used in reading from said plurality of light sources, wherein said light source control method comprises the steps of: turning on all said light sources when said operating means is enabled; turning off a light source except for a light source selected by said light source selecting means when said operating means of said external apparatus generates read designation while said light sources are ON; and turning on a light source selected by said light source selecting means when said operating means of said external apparatus generates read designation while said light sources are OFF.